The Ties That Bound
by xobadrhymer03
Summary: Updated version of my original story After Calab and Julie's wedding, the teens of Newport's lives start to change drastically. Some discover how much a person means to them, some find love, others lose loves, an old friend comes back and a couple discove
1. The Day After

A/N: Hey! Thanks already to everyone checking out this fic. I had started this in early August of 2004, but I wasn't satisfied with it. So, I decided to fix up the first two chapters. Work on all of my spelling and punctuation, I also redid some of the conversations. I hope you like it! Look for chapter three soon! XD 

Summer Robert's eyes opened to the bright morning sunlight, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her chocolate colored eyes hidden underneath them. She eyed her room and saw the same things as always...Everything was always the same. Perfect. She was flawless in the eyes of everybody she knew, she was the popular chick, the girl every single guy wanted...You would think she also wanted that but she didn't...No one really knew Summer Roberts.

Summer sat up in her bed, throwing her baby blue comforter off her body and planting her feet onto her off-white plush carpet..She erased everything she was apprehensive about when she saw the cerulean ocean outside the window in front of her. Smiling, she stood up and walked to her telephone about to dial her best friend, Marissa Cooper's number..But, she decided against that. She had never done that before in her life and was surprised with herself...What she really wanted to do is go see her boyfriend, Seth Cohen...If he even was her boyfriend anymore..After last night she wasn't sure that he even wanted to speak to her again.

Sighing, Summer walked over to her over-sized walk-in closet and started to choose her outfit of the day..Something bright and happy..So, she picked her ruby red, gold and orange sundress...Something..Well, Something Summer would normally not wear on a day like this....But, she wanted to wear the it..So, she put on the dress, threw on her flip-flops and pulled her long, raven black hair into a high pony-tail. No make-up today, she was going out as her true natural self.

It was very warm out...The sun shone through the palm trees, and reflected off the crystal clear ocean water. Teenage boys rode on skateboards and checked out the hottest girls walking around, not caring where they were going. Not caring that they might crash. All the pretty young girls smiled while the guys looked at them, It made them feel confident..Made them feel like they were wanted..Summer noticed all these things and tried to ignore it...She was focused on talking to Seth now and that was it.

It took five minutes, but finally Summer arrived at the Cohen household. She looked at it with sluggishness in her eyes. It had been the same since she had moved to Newport when she was seven...Tremendous and beautiful. Every side of the home was painted a pearly white which seemed to never get dirty. Summer had no idea how it had gone so long without getting at least a speck of grim or rust. Walking up to the front door, Summer rung the doorbell waiting for someone to answer...Anyone...Then the door opened, It was Kristen Cohen, mother of Seth...Wife of Sandy Cohen and daughter of millionaire, maybe even billionaire, tycoon Caleb Nichols..She usually looked happy and sunny faced, but today she seemed upset..very upset to be exact. Summer could tell by Kristen's puffy red and eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Cohen?" Summer asked, tilting her head

"Um..Yes Summer..Do you need something?" Kristen asked, wiping her tears

"Yeah. Is Seth around here?" Summer asked, putting her hands on her hips

"Seth?" Kristen asked, her eyes filling with more unwanted tears "You don't know where he is either?"

"No..Why? You don't know?" Summer asked, raising her eyebrow "We haven't seen him since the wedding ended last night..We thought he was upset about R-..About, well you know..We thought he would come back this morning, but he hasn't" Kristen said, her tears falling freely

"You have no idea at all where he could be? Because I will help you find him" Summer said, surprised by how concerned she was becoming "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it to find him"

"Thank you, sweetie..But..Just call if you see him, okay?" Kristen said, Summer nodded

"Okay..I'll just go..Um..See Marissa..Bye" Summer said, walking off before Kristen could say any more

Summer quickly walked next-door to Marissa's house, she was worried about her. Ryan had just left the night before and...Well, she would be upset, which wouldn't be that suprising. Marissa wasn't very strong if you though about it...She could be easily broken and over the last year, she had been broken a couple of times...Not wanting to relieve the last couple of months, Summer stopped and ripped a couple of lilies out of the law growing by the Cooper family's front door. Then Summer remembered something.

"Shit...She moved to that new house" Summer mumbled

Shrugging, the dark haired seventeen year old walked back towards her home. Every vision she saw, replaying in her mind like a video. When she arrived at her home, she sighed walking inside and grabbing her keys off of the kitchen counter...Walking through the garage door, Summer jumped into her red Mercedes Benz and started it up.

Driving out of her home's spiral driveway, Summer turned up the car's speaker powerfully loud. It had been a couple minutes before she reazlized what was playing...The Ramones. Summer sighed at what she heard. "_My Brain is Hanging Upside-down (Bonzo Goes to Bitberg)_" was the song Seth had always tortured Summer by listening to every single time they went for secret drives together. He must of left the CD in her car.

Thinking of Seth made Summer's emotions suddenly rage. She started feeling differently...What if he never came back? What if he had left her forever? No..She could not be thinking like this. She did not like Seth so much. It wasn't like she had fallen for him. Before she knew it hot tears started streaming down her tanned cheeks. Summer punched the steering wheel, taking the CD out of her where it was and holding it in her hand, Her reddened eyes staring at it.

"I hope Cohen burns in hell for making me feel like this" Summer said, biting her lip

Summer threw the CD into the backset of her Mercedes and went back to watching the road. And in a matter of time, she had arrived at Marissa's new home. It was the biggest home in Newport almost like a mansion...Well, actually it was like a castle. Summer sighed and parked her car in front of the main entrance slowing stepping out, walking the the front door, and ringing the doorbell.

Summer thought of who she was about to face...Julie and Caleb were on their honeymoon in Hawaii so they were obviously gone. Jimmy Cooper who was Marissa's father and Haley Nichol who was, to her dismay at times, Caleb's daughter, would not be there for sure. So, It was either Marissa or Kaitlin, her little sister. Sure enough, It was Kaitlin. The ten year old girl stared up at Summer and sighed, letting her in without a word. Summer walked up the staircase, Kaitlin following her and tried to find Marissa's room. This was vey confusing to her, she was so use to Marissa's old house.

"You passed it" Kaitlin said, leaning against a door

"Oh..That's it?" Summer asked, pointing towards where Kaitlyn was leaning

"Your a quick one" Kaitlin said, walking off

Summer ignored Kaitlin's rudeness and walked into Marissa's new room. She scanned the room and saw nothing special. A bed and vanity. Everything was still in boxes. But, no sight of Marissa. Except..The balcony window was wide open. Summer raised her left eyebrow and carefully walked towards the balcony, not wanting to step on anything laying askew on the floor. When she arrived outside, she saw what she was looking for...Marissa was laying on the balcony flooring, one arm hanging off the side and the other under her skeltal-like body.

Summer sighed. But, that sigh quickly turned into a gasp when she saw something laying next to Marissa. A bottle of vodka, almost all of the clear liquid inside gone. A couple feet away from Marissa's feet were the remains of a broken glass. Sharred pieces of glass laid one one side of the balcony, the other blank. Summer fought back tears, knowing that Marissa had turned to drinking again. This was bad. Marissa had been through enough. She needed to get her back inside.

Picking up Marissa's body was nothing to Summer. She was as light as a feather. Summer laid Marissa on her bed and covered her up with three of the thinnest blankets she could fin. Walking over and shutting the balcony door, Summer knew what she was going to do.

"I'm going to get, Chino back. I promise, Coop" Summer said

Summer said goodbye to Kaitlyn and left the ever so dysfunctional home of the Cooper/Nichols clan. She jumped into her Mercedes and started to drive off to a place she never thought she would go to. Well, ever...Chino.


	2. The Chino

Chapter Two:  
Water splashed gently on the sides of the "_Summer Breeze_", a sailing boat owned by a certain young man. The bright summer sun was burning the bare shoulders of seventeen year old, Seth Cohen. He sat in the middle of his prized sailing boat, staring into space. 

He was getting away from it all. All of the pressures being laid upon him. All the pressures her felt because he was a Newport kids, like all the others...But, he actually was different from them..Very different. They wanted him to be perfect. They all thought he was..But, if they looked into his eyes, they would see dark brown pools of pain and sorrow. The puzzle, of what was his heart, was still being peiced together. He had felt this for sixteen years. That was until Ryan came. Ryan showed up out of nowhere and helped jumble up the richest community in Orange County.

Ryan helped give Seth things he had always longed for. He had given himself as a friend, as Seth's best friend. He had been his backbone, he guard, his protection and the person he could talk too and actually have fun with. Ryan gave him more than friendship and well, a life though. He helped give him love. Well, not literally but he was the one who gave Seth courage to go up to the girl of his dreams, Summer Roberts. The beautiful dark-haired, bronze skinned angel of his wildest and most wonderful dreams. Ryan had helped him get her. But...Seth didn't want to think about Ryan or Summer anymore. That was the reason he had left. The reason he was out in a sailing boat on the ocean.

"Screw all this sentimental stuff...The memories are not worth it" Seth said, his deep brown eyes locked onto the blue-green water in front of him

But, at the same time he actually wanted to think about them. It made him feel better on the inside. It made his heart feel warm and all fuzzy. That is when he realized...What was he doing? He was probably hurting all the people he loved right now. His mom, dad, Marissa...and maybe even Summer. Scratching his head, Seth suddenly knew what to do. He was going to turn around the "_Summer Breeze_" and head back to Newport. He knew it was the smartest thing.

"I'm coming back home. Maybe they won't kill me when I get back" Seth said, turning his sailboat around and heading towards his hometown

8888888888888

Summer drove into a town. It was small and dirty looking. Very unlike cars were parked askewly around the neighborhood, indented and scratching.. The paint jobs looking ancint. Cracked windshields and popped tires. The homes were either trailers or very small. Every "house" was either painted blue or white. Summer drove her Mercedes Benz slowly down the streets examining what was around her. Her eyebrow slowly raised and she felt a small pang in her heart.

"I really feel for these people, but..Ew" Summer said, quietly

Summer shook her head and continued looking around. She was trying to find anyone she knew from around her who might no where Ryan was: Teresa, Eddie...Well, that was it. But, she really needed to find Ryan and drag his ass back to Newport before Marissa became worse than she already was. She realized that she had suddenly passed most of the homes and she was coming upon a cheap looking gas station. She looked at her gas gauge and sighed, it was almost empty. "Well, just look on the bright side, Roberts. You can ask where Ryan is" Summer said, tapping her recently manicured fingernails on the steering wheel

Summer carefully parked her car on the side of a gas pump and did something she was not use to doing. She pumped her own gas. People usually did this for her. When she finished, Summer grabbed her keys from the ignition and ran into the gas station. She had to hurry. She didn't want to take any chance, she did not want her car to get stolen. Walking inside, she eyed everything around her..It actually looked kind of normal for something in Chino. Summer sighed and turned her head to a woman at the cash register. She was slightly overweight, but pretty. Her apparel was a plain red tank top and plain pair of jeans. She smiled, her teeth slightly yellow and scratched the back of her neck, waiting for Summer to say something.

"Oh...Hey, do you know where I could find Ryan Atwood?" Summer asked

"No, I haven't seen him around for ages" The girl said, shaking her head

"Okay, Do you happen to know where a girl named Theresa lives?" Summer said, not sure of what Theresa's last name was

"Yeah. Ryan's on-and-off again girl? Yeah. She lives down the street. The biggest house around here. It has a red truck in the driveway"

"Um..What's your name?" Summer asked

"Jessica" Jessica said

"Thanks, Jessica" Summer said, smiling

Summer smiled again and quickly walked out of the store, she was happy to see her Mercedes still where she had parked it. Still in one piece. Summer got into her car, revved the engine up and drove off to Theresa's house. She looked carefully around, until she came upon the home she was looking for. A beat-up red Chevy was parked right in front of the house..Summer parked her car behind the truck, grabbed her key and stepped out of her vehicle. Walking up to the front door, Summer rung a doorbell for the third time that day. She waited and waited, until finally someone answered..Theresa. She smiled awkwardly at Summer.

"Um...Summer. What are you doing here?" Theresa asked

"Is Ryan around?" Summer asked

"Yeah. He's here. Do you want to come in?" Theresa asked, tilting her head to the side

"Sure" Summer said, stepping into Theresa's home

Summer looked around and smiled, It was cute in here. Cleaner than the outside of the house. He eyes stopped wandering though when she saw Ryan. He was staring dumbfoundedly at the raven-haired beauty in front of him. His eyebrow rose high and he sighed, patting his hand on the cushion next to him, indicating Summer to sit.

"Why are you here, Summer?" Ryan asked

"I came to talk to you" Summer said, sitting down next to Ryan

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Theresa asked

"No, thank you" Summer said

"You came to talk to me, huh? About what? There's really nothing to discuss" Ryan said, scratching his head

"Yeah, there is...Marissa" Summer said

"What? Marissa?" Ryan asked, his eyes going wide

"Yeah, her. Have you forgotten already?" Summer asked, her anger rising

"No. It was only last night. You think I would forget her after not even day?" Ryan asked

"How would I know? I don't really know you, Chino. Who know? You could be one of those karmelions! Who changes before you can tell who they really are!" Summer exclaimed

"Summer! Calm down! You don't know me, yes. You don't need to either...You know you already know to much anyways" Ryan said

Summer sighed "She needs you"

"Is that why you came here? To tell me how much you needs me? I've heard it before, okay?" Ryan said, standing up

"Since last night. Things have drastically changed for the worse. Set disappeared last night and...and I found Marissa on her balcony passed out" Summer said

"Why would she be passed out on her balcony?" Ryan asked

"There was a broken glass and a almost empty bottle of vodka next to her. What? Did you think I took her down or something?" Summer asked, quietly

"No. But...She's drinking again?" Ryan asked

"Apprently and you know what, Chino? Summer asked, looking Ryan straight in the eyes "It is all because of you"

"You know I wouldn't purposly leave Marissa like this, Summer" Ryan said "Teresa needs me. The baby will need me when it's born"

"Don't put me in the middle of this, Ry" Theresa said, dropping a glass into her kitchen sink

"Teresa, you..." Ryan said, being cut off

"No. Marissa needs you more than I do. Do you want her to do something drastic again? I can take care of myself" Theresa said, walking over to Summer and Ryan

"Theresa. Don't say that?" Ryan asked

"She needs you now, Ryan. Go back to her" Theresa said

"Fine. If I go, you go" Ryan said, grabbing his jacket

"You're coming with my back to Newport, Chino?" Summer asked, her eyes going wide "It worked? Holy shit...I'm a mircale worker"

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Yes. I'll go if Teresa comes with"

"I...I can't" Theresa said "I'd be too much of a hassle"

"No, you wouldn't. I think Kristen was really bummed out when you two left" Summer said

"Really?" Theresa asked

"Really" Summer said, seriously

"Okay then. Let's go" Theresa said

"Yeah, let's go" Ryan said, quietly

"Who knew I could work mircacles" Summer said, smiling

"Don't ruin it, Summer. The real miracle hasn't occured yet" Ryan said, walking off into another room

Ryan and Theresa packed a couple of things and then the trio quickly left the house, Theresa locking it behind her. They got into Summer's Mercedes Benz and didn't speak a word. Summer didn't know where this was going to lead but, she was happy she had gotten Ryan to come home with her .Her next step was finding Seth though. And that might be a tough one.


End file.
